Wills & Estate Planning
In years gone by, for many people all that was needed was a simple will prepared by a local solicitor. Now, with the value of people’s life savings and considering complicating (and valuable) factors such as trusts and superannuation, it is important to get the right advice from experts in the wills and estates field. Somerville Legal’s wills & estates team, headed up by Law Society Accredited Specialist Stephen Lynch, specialise in:
- Estate planning, including the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, appointments of enduring guardian and other important documents, and including complex measures such as establishment of testamentary trusts.
- Quick and efficient grants of probate and administration of deceased estates.
- Estate litigation, including Family Provision claims and contested wills.
Estate Planning
Like so many things in life, you get what you pay for. All too often, people thought they were saving money by using a “will kit”, only to cost their estate tens of thousands of dollars when drafting errors cause the will to end up in Court. Even with simple wills, it is important to ensure that the will reflects your wishes, and that all possibilities have been covered. Somerville Legal’s solicitors ensure that your will is thorough and protected from attack.
Sometimes it is best to leave your assets to trusts controlled by your remaining family members, rather than to leave assets to them directly. These trusts are known as “testamentary trusts“. Testamentary trusts allow the beneficiaries to exercise control over a trust, without receiving assets directly into their own name. So long as the assets remain in testamentary trusts, they are protected from claims by the beneficiary’s creditors or spouse. Testamentary trusts also have tax advantages.
Our solicitors can give practical, accurate, easy to understand advice, to guide you to an effective will, giving maximum benefits and protection to your loved ones. For more information, click here.
Probate
If a family member or friend has passed away, our team can ensure the estate is administered with a minimum of delay, no matter how simple or complex the estate. For more information, click here.
Estate Litigation
Somerville Legal’s wills and estates team are experienced in resolving estate disputes, achieving the best outcomes for clients. Whether relating to a family provision claim (where a claim is made by someone left out of a will or unhappy with the provision made for them in the will) or other disputes such as executor disputes or doubts over wills, our team will provide the very best advice, protecting our clients from the cost and stress of court where court can be avoided, and putting them in the best position to win where it cannot. For more information on family provision claims, click here or for other estate litigation, click here.
Our Team
As well as an Accredited Specialist in Wills & Estates law, Stephen Lynch is a member of the international Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP), has presented numerous seminars across the country, and has been named on the prestigious Doyles List as one of NSW’s top estate planning and estate litigation solicitors. Emily Priestley is also experienced in the drafting of complex wills and estate litigation, and Tim Somerville advises on tax related issues relating to estate planning, and is a regular speaker at legal seminars and services, including the LexisNexis series.